The present invention relates to a retainer assembly for at least one fastener, for example, a nut or a bolt, in which the fastener is floatingly retained or captivated within a channel member, and to a clamping system which includes complementary fastener retainer assemblies.
Nut and bolt retainers in which the nuts or bolts are captivated or held in a channel member with one or more directions of limited movement relative thereto are known in the prior art. For example, my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,844, which issued Dec. 18, 1984, discloses a floating fastener retainer assembly including a channel member having a web portion and two spaced flange portions extending from the same side of the web portion. Each of the flange portions has an edge turned in toward the opposite flange portion so that the inturned flange edges define an opening into the channel member. The channel member and the base of each fastener are sized so that each fastener base when positioned in the channel member between the web portion and the flange portions and beneath the inturned flange edges is floatingly captivated and can not be removed through the opening between the inturned flange edges while the channel member is unflexed.
In order to facilitate insertion of fastener bases into the channel member through the opening between the inturned flange edges, each fastener base is configured, as disclosed in my above-mentioned U.S. Patent, to include an inclined portion on at least one of the side surfaces thereof which faces a flange portion when the fastener base is captivated in the channel member. The flexibility of the channel member, the size of the opening between the inturned flange edges, the size of the fastener base and the inclined portion of each fastener base side enable the respective fastener base to be inserted into the channel member through the opening between the inturned flange edges when the channel member is flexed. A slot in the side of each fastener base, which may be engaged by the tip of a screwdriver, facilitates removal of the fastener base through the opening between the inturned flange edges upon flexing of the channel member by the screwdriver.